


Church Bells

by EveryWordHandwritten



Series: Like He Walked Right Out Of The Wild Wild West [2]
Category: Bane - Fandom, Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: AU, M/M, Songfic, Wild West, again inspired by Carrie Underwood, also he obvs does not end up with sebastian so pls, if you know the song you know what i mean, this has mentions of domestic violence in it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-04 21:41:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6676414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EveryWordHandwritten/pseuds/EveryWordHandwritten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Following the events of Renegade Runaway.</p><p>Magnus has settled down and made a life for himself, but that really hasn't worked out and Alec will hunt him down to the end of the earth if he has to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Church Bells

**Author's Note:**

> Am I sorry? Yes. Will there be more of this series? Absolutely. These songs are my muse atm

Magnus grew up wild, like a blackfoot daisy out in a shack with a blue tick hound. He had been broke as hell, but blessed with beauty, the kind that rich folk can't turn down. He had learnt that valuable information earlier on in his life than he cared to admit. He had entered Virginia City of Nevada with only the clothes on his back and $3. Not much but Magnus knew that plenty of people had money out this way; money he could take before skipping onto another town. That was until he caught the eye of an oil man dancing one summer night in a dime store dress. The oil man didn’t look like they usually do; wasn’t fat and pompous, didn’t have dark slicked back hair and old wrinkled face of a man who spent his entire life out in oil fields. He was tall and thin, almost statuesque; with light blond hair that fell to his shoulders. He looked delicate and distinguished to Magnus’ keen eye. He had asked Magnus for a dance about halfway through the night and they hadn’t stopped until the sun had threatened to spill into the sky.

Magnus had never stayed in one place for so long but something about Sebastian Verlac had captivated him. He was sweet and gentle with Magnus, in a way no one had been for years. Patient and kind, listening to his stories of home and travelling across America with interest. All throughout their courtship Sebastian would insist on doing everything for Magnus and before he knew it he and Sebastian were engaged. Accepting made sense to Magnus, this wonderful man wanted to be a part of Magnus’ life forever, if dark hair and blue eyes sometimes flashed before his eyes when he was with Sebastian it wasn’t important. Magnus’ life was all roses, dripping in diamond and sipping on champagne. He was taken care off, never having to worry about running out at midnight, never sneaking around and lying. It was a welcome break, soon the posters and wanted information for the Renegade Runaway dried up. Magnus felt kind of relieved, no longer a legend he was able to be a man in love and it was refreshing.

He smiled up at Sebastian as he brought in a small bouquet of daisies and dropped his head to kiss Magnus’ cheek. “Thank you,” he murmured. “They’re lovely.” Sebastian shot him a devilish grin as he poured himself a drink.

“Lovely things for my lovey boy.” He laughed. Magnus smiled to himself and got up to get the daisies in some water. He could see they had been handpicked on the way home and really that made them better than a far better arrangement than the ones professionally done down in the town itself.

“I think that’s the last of the whiskey love. I’ll buy more when I’m in town tomorrow picking my suit up for the wedding. Only two days to go now.” Magnus felt a thrill at the words. He was going to be married. Someone wanted him enough to promise to look after him in front of the whole community. He reached up to place a chaste kiss to Sebastian’s lips, savouring the taste of him past the whiskey. Sebastian smiled and him and nodded.

Magnus felt the whole thing was all uptown. He was wearing that white suit and getting ready to take his last name. _Magnus Verlac, Magnus Verlac, Magnus Verlac_ paying in his head on a loop the whole day. He left Sebastian’s favourite bottle of whiskey with a note telling him that Magnus was spending the night in the hotel so he would see him at the wedding the next day. On a whim he grabbed the daisies and his packed bag and headed into the town.

What Magnus remembers most about his wedding day is that he could hear those church bells ringing. Loud and clear and every peel of the bells seemed to proclaim _you’re safe you’re happy you’re loved_. It was everything he had every secretly desired in his lowest moments. And up in the loft, that whole choir singing. Sebastian knew that he loved the traditionalism of it all and ensured the whole choir had been available to perform.

“Fold your hands and close your eyes, it's all gonna be alright.” Sebastian whispered to him, smiling like the cat who got the cream. And so Magnus did as his husband bid him and just listened to the church bells ringing.

***

Alec didn’t really hate prison all that much, and the petty theft charge they had him on meant he was only in for a few months anyway. In a prison your day had structure and your meals were free. Isabelle and Simon visited every week and Jace split his time between Alec and Clary, who was serving her first time in prison with her remarkable stoic nature still intact. The two had been picked up by local authorities for pickpocketing at the races. Clary had overestimated her abilities and Alec had been there in the nick of time to ensure it was just a few months they got and not some sort of example being made of them.

It was in the last month of his sentence that he heard the name again from an inmate whose MO was stealing cattle and wearing their horns in order to terrify towns out of money. It was one of the strangest operations Alec had heard of but it seemed to work for the guy.

“Holy shit,” the guy swore softly as he left his meeting with his partner. Alec raised his head at the tone, it wasn’t the usual anger at having to leave a loved one and come back here. It was a tone of awe.

“What’s happened?” Alec asked, curiosity piqued. The inmate, Ragnor Fell if Alec’s memory served, which it usually did, turned to him and shook his head in disbelief.

“An old friend is in the next couple of states over and seems to have settled in the one town. Never thought he could do it.” The man shook his head again. “Little Magnus Bane settled in one damn town.” And with that he walked off leaving Alec with his thoughts. He remembered everything about the night he had met Magnus Bane; remembered every detail of Magnus Bane himself. _A few states over was probably Nevada,_ Alec reasoned with himself. And so he served out the last few weeks of his sentence with renewed vigour, itching to leave and chase Magnus down on an impulse he couldn’t name.

***

When Magnus wasn’t hosting dinner parties he and Sebastian were having dinner at the country club. It was bliss. Magnus spent his days reading or painting or strolling round the town and every night Sebastian returned home to him and they talked or drank or simply enjoyed each other’s company. It was exactly how Magnus had pictured wedded life. For the first few months at least.

Everyone thought they were Ken and Barbie. _And they were_ Magnus supposed the issue lay with his Ken, who was always getting way too drunk. At first Magnus hadn’t noticed it, Sebastian had always liked a drink when he came in but it was becoming glaringly obvious that that drink wasn’t Sebastian’s first of the day. Magnus was replacing the house whiskey at least every two days.

He became used to Sebastian staying out all night on a Saturday and waking next to him on a Sunday for church covered in bruises and cuts. It upset Magnus to see the man he loved like this but he was powerless to stop him. He hadn’t realised just how powerless until Sebastian came in one night angry.

“Everything in this house I own.” He boasted sinisterly. “Even you little cat.” He sneered at Magnus. Twisting the pet name into something malicious and cruel. “You have to do as I say in my house, surrounded by my things.” His words had troubled Magnus since. It became devastatingly obvious how Magnus owned nothing in the mansion. No trinkets or clothes were technically his. Sebastian had bought everything, had insisted on it and it was only now, a year after they met and six months after their wedding Magnus saw the core issue. He learnt to make do with the cutting comments, firing his own back from time to time. _It’s okay,_ he would tell himself, _this just makes the sex hotter._ And so Magnus recontented himself with his life.

That was until that Saturday night, after a few too many Sebastian came home ready to fight and all his money could never save Magnus from the devil living in his eyes. With each hit Sebastian littered down on his body Magnus could hear the church bells of their wedding day; loud and booming and drowning out the torrent of abuse Sebastian shouted at him. And so that became the regular thing. Now on a Sunday it was Magnus waking for church covered in bruises and cuts and with a rage in the pit of his stomach. His life was all bruises, covered in makeup and large hats to hide the truth. And the next morning he could always be found sitting in the back pew praying with the Baptist.

He could hear those church bells ringing, like they had on his perfect wedding day, and the night before. And up in the loft, that whole choir singing, like they had on the happiest day of his life.

“Fold your hands and close your eyes it's all gonna be alright.” Sebastian whispered gruffly at him. “You just listen to the church bells ringing.” And so Magnus did as his husband bid him and just listened to the church bells ringing, vacant eyed and bruised with a plan forming behind his cold eyes.

***

The minute Alec was released Isabelle was there with his effects and papers. Hopping from foot to foot excited to leave the town she had been trapped in for the past 8 months.

“We tracked him to Virginia City.” She told him once they exited the prison. “I’m going to kill him, he owes us $650 at least but I’m happy you’ll be happy to see him, hermanito.” Alec smiled at her happy to be free of his confines. He didn’t usually feel so constricted in prison but he began to notice how little he was able to do in the final two weeks. Being out felt good.

“Bastard!” he heard shouted from behind him before someone jumped on his back and he lost his vision to a wall of red hair glinting in the sun. He tugged Clary round and hugged her, happy to see her again after so many months.

“So you survived I take it?” he asked the tiny woman, laughing all the while. Clary nodded beaming at him. He felt giddy to be surrounded by his family again. “I assume Isabelle has filled you all in.” The group nodded and Jace clapped him on the shoulder.

“Clary and I have procured some horses. They’re hidden out in the field for us to leave at sundown.” Alec looked between the two of them, grinning at each other and laughing, in shock.

“She hasn’t been out of prison two minutes Jace!” Alec exclaimed, but soon he was laughing with the rest of them as they walked to the inn Isabelle and Simon were staying at in order to flesh out their plan.

***

It was after their first anniversary that Magnus enacted his plan. He had been taking as much of the money from the house safe as he dared and packing away non-perishable food items for his journey for the last 3 months. His skin itched and his mind rebelled at the thought of staying. He needed to travel again, bring back the Renegade. And so with very little regret Magnus slipped something into his beloved husband’s Tennessee whiskey that no law man was ever gonna find and how he died is still a mystery but he had hit Magnus for the very last time.

The funeral arrangements were taken care of by Sebastian’s rich friends as Magnus was in too much of a state of shock to do anything or be of any help to anyone. It was better this way, meant he had less acting to do and could save it all for the funeral. It would take every ounce of his restraint not to spit on the bastard’s casket. He hummed to himself as he arranged the last daisies Sebastian had ever brought him. They were an apology for a particularly gruesome beating that Magnus still wore the effects of three weeks later. _Ah, true love_ he thought bitterly. Sebastian was meant to be the one to take care of him, to protect him, to love him unconditionally and instead he had rushed Magnus into a marriage where Sebastian controlled everything. Every penny Magnus spent was accounted for in a little book in Sebastian’s drawer. Funnily enough that had been the final straw for Magnus. The gall of the man to keep a book of Magnus’ receipts when Magnus had don no such thing with his regular beatings.

Magnus pulled out the first thing he had bought with Sebastian’s money; the finest black suit from here to Mexico. It was an extortionate amount of money and Magnus had relished spending every penny. He made sure to look perfect for the funeral, spent the whole morning applying make-up, doing his hair. He poked and prodded at his bruises and the gash in his side to make himself cry enough for it to be obvious he had been.

The church was filled with people, the poor and the rich all come together to mourn the sudden death of a bright and generous young man. Not the words Magnus would have used but still he was gone and that was all that mattered. He could hear those church bells ringing, ringing out in what should have been anguish but instead was triumph. He had such mixed feeling towards those bells now. _They were a part of him now_ he thought as he was standing there in a black suit singing the hymns so carefully chosen out for this sombre occasion. Magnus wanted to laugh, Sebastian didn’t know a single word to any of them.

Just as the second hymn had finished and the Baptist began speaking he heard the church doors open and cursed every god known to man that he couldn’t turn round to see who would enter a funeral this late. He had to play the perfect grieving husband and that meant adhering to ridiculous social rules. He heard a group of people shuffling in, trying to find room in a back pew, but heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps walking forward and suddenly there was a warm presence by Magnus’ side.

“Fold your hands and close your eyes.” A distantly familiar voice reassured in words so familiar Magnus choked on the manic laugh bubbling up his throat. He didn’t dare look at the man at his side for fear the illusion he had created would tumble down around him and the townspeople would see what he really thought of his late, great husband. His breathing was coming in bursts.

“Yeah, it's all gonna be alright.” He whispered to himself as he felt the man of his dreams grab his hand and squeeze it tightly. His comforting presence slowly beginning to erase the damage Verlac had done. He couldn’t understand why him being there was so calming. Perhaps it was the fact that Magnus had already pulled a gun him and had been in complete control and yet here he was 5 years later. Perhaps it was fate that they end up together. Perhaps it was the fact he reminded Magnus of a time when he was an entirely different person. It didn’t matter. What mattered was that the funeral was over and he didn’t remember anything of it. He was safe again.

***

When the five of them arrived into town it was deserted and silent, save the church bells. They heard the voices of the entire town in the church a moment later and headed in that direction, figuring they could join the little service and find out more information on Magnus’ whereabouts after. It wasn’t until they pushed the doors opened they realised their mistake. Jace grabbed his arm, gesturing to a few empty spaces in a back pew they could squeeze into but it was too late. He could see Magnus in the front pew alone. Not thinking about the reason for it nor the ramifications he strode down the aisle to Magnus and slide in beside him. Magnus’ back was ramrod straight and his face paled and Alec was worried he had done the wrong thing. He grabbed Magnus’ hand after the praying had been done and only towards the end realised who the front pew was reserved for. _So Magnus got married._ Alec really didn’t hold it against the man in any possible way. He understood the need to be loved and protected, to do the loving and protecting.

He continued to hold Magnus’ hand throughout the ceremony, hoping to offer him comfort and some small degree of peace. As soon as it was over he walked Magnus out of the church, his family filing in behind them and creating a barrier between Magnus and the townspeople.

“Old family friends. No we had no idea. Shocking. A sensitive soul. Time alone to heal. Out of town. Stay with friends.” Alec let all of Simon’s platitudes rush over him, they hadn’t even asked Magnus what he wanted to do. He had never been more thankful for Simon’s need to fill silence before, he didn’t trust himself to speak. Magnus led him through the streets to a huge mansion silently. He unlocked the door and invited them all inside, offering them a whiskey.

“Hate the make of that one.” Alec told him, upon seeing the brand. At those words Magnus crumpled and began laughing hysterically, shocking the little group of five.

“Hate the make.” He gasped out between great guffaws of laughter. “Hate the brand.” He repeated just as manically. “Well that’s okay cause I hated the fucking man!”

At that the group stilled, looking between each other uneasily. Isabelle straightened and looked around the room for a bottle of tequila to get them all a drink.

“Sit up Magnus,” she ordered gently. Using the voice she used on little kids to get them to hide during a gunfight. Reassuring and gentle but with a knives edge to it. “Come one, up you get.” She made to lift him up but he flinched the second her hand came near his face. And Alec’s mind began connecting dots. He only hoped he was wrong.

Magnus lifted himself from his spot on the floor and staggered towards the table, accepting a drink from Isabelle.

“He was a drunk,” he said throwing his drink around, still somewhat hysterical. “He got drunk and fought with everyone around him and when people learnt to stay out of his way he beat me instead.” Alec didn’t know if he could listen to anymore as Magnus went into specifics; reciting insults and counting off every beating had received for the last 7 months. Isabelle swore softly and reached for Simon’s hand; Jace had turned pale white and turned into Clary, burying his face in her hair, and Alec tried to stop his hands forming fists. Magnus recounted the whole tale of his life with Sebastian; how good it had been, how the compliments had sharpened and taken an edge and, eventually, how the violence that plagued his marriage. “I really did love him for a moment.” He finished.  Alec looked to the window and saw the sun rising, the couples stood and announced they would sleep here tonight and not to worry they would find their own rooms in the house. Magnus looked up and Alec and opened his mouth to say something. Alec held up a hand instead.

“It’s alright Magnus, you’re safe here.” Magnus smiled ironically at him and put his drink down.

“I thought about you from time to time you know.” He said quietly, more to himself than to Alec. “Would see your face when I was with him, hear your laugh when he laughed that sort of thing.” He stared out of the window at the impending dawn. “Back at the start when it was good” he hastened to add, assuaging Alec’s worries he bore any resemblance to his ex-husband.

“Come with us.” Alec asked, looking anywhere but at Magnus. “Pack up your things leave this house and travel with us. I’m not asking you to come for my sake but for your own. You were one of the best outlaws from New York to New Mexico, you were in control. Come with us and find that version of yourself again.” As soon as he said it he regretted it, it sounded like he wanted to change Magnus, make him back to the way he was but he just wanted the sad man in front of him to be back to himself again. The train of thought he had had stopped him from seeing Magnus rise and come over to him and only when he felt Magnus sit on his lap did he snap back to the present. Magnus searched his eyes for what felt like hours, leaving every part of him exposed and bare and despite every instinct he had he sat still and let him. Eventually Magnus nodded and a small honest smile formed on his lips.

“I’ll go with you. But we have to leave soon, tomorrow night if possible.” Alec’s mind rushed with the possibility of getting to leave this pace so soon.  He was worried that Magnus would want to stay and mourn the memory of a life he had never had.

“That’s perfect. But Magnus,” he said, catching Magnus’ hand where he had been stroking Alec’s face. “I need you to know that you’re in charge of this. This is your choice, your-“ Alec was unceremoniously cut off by Magnus’ lips on his and really didn’t want to take advantage but who was he to complain either. He tasted just as he remembered him, sweet and summery, light but with a hint of recklessness that drove Alec wild. This was where he belonged, at Magnus’ side.

***

“God just listen to the church bells ringing.” Magnus sighed as they rode out of Virginia City in the fading light of sunset. He felt lighter than he had in months. He felt clean and happy and relaxed. He stretched happily on the back of the horse. “Where to now dear?” he called over to Alec. Alec just shrugged at him and smiled.

“It’s entirely up to you, babe.” He replied, moving his horse closer to Magnus’. “We’ll follow you. You’re in charge here.” Magnus wanted to cry at the simple words. They understood he needed to control the situations right now; and they were willing to let him. As the church bells rang out their departure he took comfort in their ringing as he kissed Alec once again.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed this, lemme know how to improve 
> 
> Also there will be at least 3 more stories within in 'verse


End file.
